Portrayals of Elizabeth I - 'Elizabeth' 1997

Elizabeth (1997)

Make up & Hair Designer: Jenny Shircore

Make up artist: Anita Burger

Elizabeth I portrayed by Cate Blanchett

Still from the movie 'Elizabeth' (1997) - http://tinyurl.com/my2enee

The very beginning of this film features Elizabeth as a princess, prior to her sister Queen Mary dying of cancer and thus ascending to the thrown. In these earlier scenes, Elizabeth appears very youthful, the make up used appears very minimal. Her complexion is flawless and pale toned,this is emphasised by the red she wears and her auburn colour hair. What I love about this look is how natural it appears, the skin is completely flawless which again puts emphasis on  her youthful and care-free nature (which is about to be disrupted). In this movie still Elizabeth wears her hair down, I image this was a signal to suitors of her unmarried status.

Midway through the film Elizabeth is crowned queen of England and the way Cate Blanchett’s hair and make up is styled is heavily influenced by Elizabeth’s coronation portrait, both of which can be seen below.

Coronation portrait of Elizabeth I c.1600, unknown artist. Oil on canvas.
http://tinyurl.com/p9jvrjo

Still from the movie 'Elizabeth' (1997) featuring Cate Blanchett
http://tinyurl.com/okwsl3q

There are lots of similarities when you compare the movie still from ‘Elizabeth’ with the original coronation portrait including the costume which features an ermine cape, a sign of wealth and nobility as Ermine fur was  incredibly raree and expensive. She also wears a necklace of red and black jewels and pearls.

Blanchett’s hair is down is flowing across her shoulders. Her skin is pale, however not nearly as pale as in the portrait, I think the reason they haven’t made her even more pale in this shot is to dramatise a later transformation in the film which I will discuss next. Like earlier in the film when Elizabeth is still a princess her skin appears very flawless and brought alive with subtle flushes of blush to the cheeks and lips. I think they reason they’ve highlighted this again is during this part of the film Elizabeth is still looking for a male suitor to become king, this would appear attractive to them as is suggested that she was youthful and healthy.

Still from the movie 'Elizabeth' (1997) - http://tinyurl.com/pv677b3

The final image from this film I will discuss is a still from the films ending sequence. In the end scene Elizabeth undergoes a transformation which includes the shaving of her head and the application of white face paint. I believe this visual transformation signifies her transformation from the young, carefree and romantic girl seen at the beginning of the film in to a strong, powerful and ruthless monarch. Her face is painted white to an extreme that it looks unnatural, yet it is very striking and thus gives a sense of power and confidence. I feel that this extreme is used to suggest Elizabeth's rebirth as a virgin queen after her unsuccessful relationship with Robert Dudley as the colour white is seen as the essence of purity.